Meet Charisma Kapur

Something's changed about Karisma Kapur. She left our mindspace with all the bad fashion marks of the 90s, but came back as a stunner. Here's the story of the ultimate makeover, a decade in the making

She was the poster child of the 90s, a horrible fashion decade. Bushy eyebrows, puffy hair and puffier sleeves. Stepping into Bollywood as a Kapoor might have placed Karisma Kapur (she became a Kapur after her marriage to industrialist Sunjay Kapur) a notch above her contemporaries, but it did nothing to help the way she looked on screen.



There were whispers that mother Babita controlled her elder daughter's career and life with an iron fist and this included picking out her looks for movies as well. Come 1996 and Manish Malhotra, or the 'heroines ka chamcha' as pessimists called him, transformed Karisma into probably one of the best makeover stories of this generation.

It took Manish more that just a wave of the wand but it worked and Raja Hindustani earned her a film award. A year later, caught in the love triangle in Dil To Pagal Hai, she looked stunning. While Madhuri was dressed in demure salwar kameezs, Karisma bought sexy back in sports bras and shorts. With Haseena Maan Jaayegi she was seen in baggy jeans and cargos. She rightly stated in previous interviews, "I wore baggy jeans, which was unheard of for an actress in those days." Fiza saw her with minimal makeup, while in Zubeidaa she draped herself in vintage sarees and looked the part of a prince's young wife.



Then came marriage, a baby, sabbatical and the comeback. While her contemporaries Kajol and Madhuri made comebacks in movies, Karisma returned to the limelight on the small screen, first, judging dance reality show Nach Baliye 4 and now the couple stand-up comedy show, Hans Baliye. And even her strongest critics cannot deny that she looks gorgeous. There's a glow about her. "Oh gosh! Thank you," she says, looking embarrassed and pleased at the same time. "People have been asking me about it. They say that after marriage and a baby, I am glowing. So I think that is it. I don't know. I think it is a combination of being on a personal and professional high. Television is my second innings."

Decked in her favourite designer and friend Manish Malhotra's creation, she points out that, "The look for Hans Baliye is more real. So we have used summer colours and the fabrics are also flirty."

Manish might been responsible for her style today, but Karisma steps out of her comfort zone often and works with new and young designers like Karishma Trehan. Says Karisma, "Yes, I guess Manish is my comfort zone. But Karishma has a lot of talent." Karishma Trehan, the young designer whose Indian outfits Karisma often sports at events, says, "I have known her for three years. She picked up my dress for her daughter's first birthday and liked my work. There is no effort on her part per se. She is a poised and sophisticated person. She has a style that every woman would want. I would describe her look as understated sharp glamour."

Makeup artiste Mallika Bhat who works with Karimsa on ad campaigns, seconds this view. She says, "Her personal style has been cultivated over a period of time. Her look is classy chic. So we use thick liners, lots of mascara and maybe a brown pencil in the eye. For personal events, though, she does her own makeup."

Karisma credits her upbringing for her much talked about intrinsic class and sophistication. She says, "My values and upbringing will never go away. They will always stay with me and Kareena."

Another trait she has picked up from her family is grandfather Raj Kapoor's affinity to the colour white. Ivory and white are Karisma's favourite colours along with black. She is seen at dos in ivory sarees, white salwar kameezes but as she points out, "Never in a black saree. My western outfits are generally black. I have tons of white shirts. Tons!"

While still on the topic of family, both Karisma's mother and sister are fashion icons so what would she steal from their closet? "My mum's old French chiffon sarees from the 60s. They are truly vintage. I told her that I am going to take them but she refuses saying that I would lose them. From Kareena, I would take her shoes."



Karisma says that even if she has lost oodles of weight, she is still a Kapoor at heart and loves to eat. "There is no beauty regime, only healthy eating habits. But I am a typical Kapoor and love to eat biryani, prawns."

Another makeup artiste, Ritesh Naik who works with both the sisters says, "Karisma is very professional. Her work comes first. Kareena is more talkative of the two. Karisma's best features are her eyes. Dark colours do not suit her so I use soft colours both on the eyes and lips. Her favourite shade is Embrace by MAC." Ritesh says that Karisma brings her own ideas to the table about how she wants to look but at times gives Ritesh a free hand.

However while she was 'growing up' in the industry, heroines did not have much say in how they looked. "When I started off we were told what to wear. Now actresses, designers and directors discuss (the look of the film). Much has changed. It's (the look) more real now."

She acknowledges the irony that where she was once chided for her looks, she is now being applauded. "I think it's vindication. I was so young. I joined films before my 16th birthday, fresh out of school. I literally grew up in the movies."



Karisma might claim to not experiment with her looks but browse through her recent photos and you will see that she chooses from a wide palette of looks and styles. While supporting husband Sunjay at a polo match she wears a white shirt, a short-cropped jacket and well-fitted jeans (Victoria Beckham and 7 for All Mankind are her favourites). At events it's either a sequined saree or salwar kameez or a YSL dress. Says designer Karishma, "She makes one thing the focal point a stunning pair of shoes or a bracelet." Mallika says, "She can carry anything from straight hair to a pony tail. She looks really nice, even in a pony tail."

Karisma is not all about the looks. Ritesh says, "I have an affinity towards her. I love working with her." Karisma exudes a certain bubbly quality and does not hold back on the compliments. Like a teacher would, she approvingly says "good question" during the course of the interview. Now only if all teachers were this good looking, attendance would be through the roof.